In this work about the book Roots by Alex HALEY the author will show that the
book Roots is not non-fictional, like it is said on the cover of the book (chapter
3). The analysis of dialogues and characteristics of persons in the book will
prove it. For the task was to prove the fictionality of the book in comparison to
the representation of the characters in the film, these two means of style of
fictionality were chosen: dialogue and representation of characters. The author
did actually not compare with the film because it was not clearly visible if the
directors of the film were black or white, and so the analysis could have led in a
wrong way. About the importance of the race will be said more in the analysis.
One important point for proving the fictionality comes from Alex HALEY himself in
chapter 120: "In the years of the writing, I have also spoken before many
audiences of how Roots came to be, naturally now and then someone asks,
'How much of Roots is fact and how much is fiction?' To the best of my
knowledge and of my effort, every lineage statement within Roots is from either
my African or my American families carefully preserved oral history, much of
which I have been conventionally to corroborate with documents.(...) Since I
wasn't yet around when most of the story occurred, by far most of the dialogue
and most of the incidents are of necessity a novelized amalgam of what I know
took place together with what my researching led me to plausibly feel took
place."1
Further on, the work will tell about Alex HALEY himself (chapter 1). For this part
the Microsoft Encarta of the year 1996 was used.
Further, the "Einführung in die Anglistik" from Sammlung Metzler2, the
"Arbeitsbuch Literaturwissenschaft" from UTB3 and the "Einführung in die
Literaturinterpretation" 4 build the scientific basis for this work.
1 HALEY, A.: Roots. Dell Publishing, New York 1974. p.726-727.
2 KORTE, B./ K. P. MÜLLER/ J. SCHMIED: Einführung in die Anglistik. Verlag J. B. Metzler,
Stuttgart/Weimar 1997.
3 EICHER, T./ V. WIEMANN (Hrsg.): Arbeitsbuch: Literaturwissenschaft. UTB Paderborn/ München/
Wien/ Zürich 1997.
4 SCHUTTE, Jürgen: Einführung in die Literaturinterpretation. Verlag J. B. Metzler, Stuttgart/Weimar, 3.
Auflage 1993.
Table of Contents
1) Introduction
2) Alex HALEY – short Information about the Author himself
3) Fictionality in Dialogues of the Book Roots
4) Summary
Objectives and Topics
This work examines the book "Roots" by Alex Haley to challenge its common classification as purely non-fictional. The primary research goal is to prove the fictionality of the narrative by analyzing specific dialogues and character representations, demonstrating how the author uses imaginative writing to reconstruct history and provide a sense of identity for Afro-Americans.
- The distinction between factual history and fictionalized narrative in "Roots"
- Analysis of character traits through selected dialogues
- The role of identity-seeking and cultural heritage
- Stereotypes of blackness and the influence of racial history on literature
- Alex Haley's authorial perspective and creative methods
Excerpt from the Book
The slave-dialogue
The dialogue is about, what slaves are (in the Gambia) and why. Kunta is talking to Omoro, while Kunta is asking question, and Omoro is giving the answers. Omoro is working through the dialogue. The originally reason for Kunta's questions is the question of his younger brother Lamin.
Kunta's questions are very clear and intelligent: "Fa, what are slaves?"; "Why are some people slaves and others not?" He asks frankly from the heart, he wants to know, why the things are that way, and not another. Kunta Kinte's way of asking shows his way of living: he is living in old traditions, he is fulfilling the tasks of a boy of his age and he is the firstborn of the family.
Omoro is answering in the same way - very clear: "But one should never speak of slaves in the presence of slaves."; "They become slaves, being not brave enough to die rather than be taken." He explains things in traditions.
What Omoro says in his first sentence, goes through the whole book. The white people in it hardly speak of slaves in the presence of slaves, which is probably not true. This is a black way of thinking that is transmitted on white people. HALEY is a black writer, who lays words in white mouths from his sight on his history, and at least of his time.
Summary of Chapters
1) Introduction: This chapter outlines the thesis that "Roots" contains significant fictional elements and establishes the methodology, focusing on dialogue analysis to support this claim.
2) Alex HALEY – short Information about the Author himself: This section provides a brief biographical overview of Alex Haley, highlighting his career path from the Coast Guard to becoming a renowned author who popularized Black history.
3) Fictionality in Dialogues of the Book Roots: This central chapter analyzes three specific dialogues to demonstrate how Haley creates characters and incidents that reflect his own imaginative reconstruction of history rather than purely objective facts.
4) Summary: The concluding chapter synthesizes the findings, reaffirming that while "Roots" is based on family history, its narrative structure and character development serve the function of providing identity to its readers through creative fiction.
Keywords
Roots, Alex Haley, Fictionality, Slavery, African-American Literature, Identity, Kunta Kinte, Dialogues, Stereotypes, Genealogy, Narrative, Oral History, Racial Understanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the literary work "Roots" by Alex Haley, specifically analyzing the balance between historical fact and fictional narrative construction.
What are the central themes of the work?
The central themes include the search for cultural identity, the representation of black history, the impact of slavery on family lineage, and the persistence of racial stereotypes in American literature.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to prove that "Roots" is not a purely non-fictional work, but rather a "novelized amalgam" that uses fiction to fulfill a cultural and identity-building function for the reader.
Which scientific method is used?
The author employs a literary analysis method, specifically focusing on the close reading of three key dialogues (the slave-dialogue, the Kizzy-dialogue, and the Lea-dialogue) to characterize the figures and examine the narrative structure.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body details the biographical background of Alex Haley and provides an extensive analysis of how dialogues are used to construct characters that reflect the author's personal perspectives on history and race.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Roots, Fictionality, Identity, Afro-American history, and character representation.
How does the author interpret the relationship between Kunta Kinte and Omoro?
The author interprets the slave-dialogue between Kunta and his father as a means to establish the family hierarchy and transmit cultural traditions, while simultaneously highlighting how Haley uses these characters to project his own time-specific perspectives onto the past.
What role does the "Kizzy-dialogue" play in the author's argument?
The Kizzy-dialogue serves to illustrate Kunta’s role as the identity-searching prototype and demonstrates how Haley inserts his own thoughts about friendship and the power dynamics between the "massa" and the enslaved into the narrative.
- Citar trabajo
- Juliane Weuffen (Autor), 2000, Roots by Alex Haley, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/30389
